Max meyerson



M. MEYERSON.

FOLDING CARRIER.

I APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16. 1921. 1,431,974. Patented Oct. 17, 19221.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

M. MEYERSON.

FOLDING CARRIER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16. 1921.

1,431,974. Patented 001; 17,1922.

5 2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Patented Oct. 17, 1922.

vireo s'r TES MAX MEYERSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FOLDING CARRIER.

Application filed March 16, 1921.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAX MnYERsoN, a citizen of the United States, residingat New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Carriers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a folding carrier, the same being in the nature of an improvement upon the structure shown and described in Patent No. 1,323,? 15, Dec. 2, 1919.

An object of the present improvement is to provide a box which will be at once .of stronger construction and of less cost to manufacture than the box disclosed in said patent.

A further object is to so design the box that it may be more easily and quickly manipulated into its distended and collapsed positions.

A further object is to so design the top, bottom and intermediate sections of the box that they will more efficiently cooperate with each other and will provide a more pleasing and attractive exterior appearance, both when the box is collapsed and when distended, than is possible with the structure disclosed in said patent. I

A further object is to provide simple and efiicient means for holding the box, and particularly the intermediate section thereof, in distended condition.

A further object is to provide an improved form of hinge wherewith to pivotally connect together the several parts of the structure.

Other objects and aims of the invention, more or less specific than those referred to above, will be in part obvious and in part pointed out in the course of the followlng description of the elements, combinations, arrangements of parts and applications of principles, constituting the invention, and the scope of protection contemplated will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanyingdrawings which are to be taken as a part of this specification, and in which I have shown merely a preferred form of embodiment of the invention Figure 1 is a perspective view of a carrier constructed in accordance with this invention, the same being shown collapsed.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially upon the plane of line II of Fig. 1.

Serial No. 452,643.

Figure 3 is a similar View to that shown in Fig. 2, but showing the box, or carrier, partly open.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view corresponding to the showing in Fig. 3, but the carrier being here fully distended.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view in top plan showing the carrier fully distended and illustrating in dotted lines the intermediate section of the carrier as being partly col-. lapsed.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail top edge view of one end of the intermediate section of the carrier.

Figure 7 is an end carrier, parts being saving of space.

Figure 8 is a further enlarged detail sectional View illustrating the hinge construction employed.

Figure 9 is an elevational view of the part seen in Fig. 8.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary elevational View corresponding to the lower central portion of Fig. 7, but illustrating a modification thereof, and

Figure-11 is a fragmentary detail view of the corner construction employed.

Referring to the drawings for describing in detail the several features disclosed there-- in, the reference character L indicates what has been above referred to as the bottom section of the carrier. The reference character G indicates the intermediate, or body, section. And the reference character H indicates the top, or cover, section.

The bottom section L is of tray shape, and includes a bottom wall 1 having upturned marginal flanges 2. At the corners suitable reinforcing corner irons 3 are provided. I

The top, or cover, section H is similar in general contour to the shape of the bottom section and may also carry reinforcing corner irons 4:.

The body section is made up of a rear wall 5, a front wall 6 and opposite end walls 7 and 8. The end walls are each made up of two sections, as 9 and 10, hinged together at a central point,as at 11. The sections 9 are hinged to the rear wall :5, as at 12, and the sections 10 are hinged to the front wall 6, as at 13.

By this arrangement the front wall 6 may be moved toward or away from the elevational View of the broken away for the rear wall 5by the simple expedient of bowing inwardly the sections of the end walls 8, as seen by the dotted lines in Fig. 5.

The sections 10 of the end walls are provided with extending portions 14: continuing beyond the pivots 11 and adapted when in distended condition to lap against the inner surface of the sections 9, and these po tions 14 preferably carry adjustable clip devices 15 with which to detachably connect them against movement out of distended position. These clips may be pivotally connected with the extensions it as by means of pivot devices 16, and they may be swung about their pivots to bring the clip portions thereof into straddling position over the juxtaposed upper edges of the sections 9 and the extensions 14, as clearlyillustrated. It will be apparent that when these clips are in the position shown in Figs. 6 and 7, then the side walls of the box are permanently held in distended condition. To move these walls to collapsed position it is simply necessary, however, to swing the clips 15 out of engagement with the sections 9.

Concerning the extensions l l, it is important to note that they are of a size to overlap substantially the entire inner surface of the sections 9 and that, therefore, they greatly reinforce said sections in withstanding excessive strains which may be placed against them either from within or without the box The rear wall 5 is hinged at its lower edge to the adjacent flange 2 of the base, or bottom, section L, as at 17, so that it may swing freely from the position Fig. 3 downwardly into the bottom section, as in Fig. 2, and vice versa. WVhen in the position shown in Fig. 3 the body section may be readily distended and the top section placed thereon, as seen in Fig. 4-. When the body section is folded into the bottom section then the top section may be placed directly on. to the bottom section, as seen in Figs. 1

. and 2.

In its distended position the front wall 6 ofthe body'is intended to rest upon one or more special supporting elements, as 18,

,wardly and inwardly, substantially as best seen in Figs. 1 to l. By this means the upper edge portion of the flanges may be brought to a closer and more accurate fit against the adjacent outer surface portions of the body section, while at the same time disposing the lower ortions of said flanges in a plane sufficient y removed from said outer surfaces of the body so that said lower portions of the flanges will stand in substantially the same vertical planes as the flanges of the top section thereby giving to the completed article a much more attractive appearance than would be possible were the flanges 2 made vertical. Furthermore, it has been found that the inclined position of the flanges 2 renders it possible to make the flanges of the top section stand nearer to the adjacent walls of the intermediate section than if said flanges 2 were made vertical and yet be capable of readily telescoping over said flanges 2. This is due to the very close fit of the upper edges of said flanges 2 against the outer surface of the'body section.

As a simple expedient for moving the end walls of the body section to distended position suitable pull straps, as 19, may be connected therewith and extended outwardly through suitable openings, as 20, provided for the purpose in the end flanges 2 of the bottom section. The inner ends of these straps may be connected with the sections 10 in the end walls preferably directly at the point of the hinges 11 so that a pull upon said straps will operate to move the wall sections 9 and 10 into alignment. A very important feature embodied in this part of the device is illustrated in Fig. 7, and consists in connecting the inner ends of the straps 19 at points in a plane above the openings 20. As illustrated, the inner end of the strap 19 extends through an opening 21 provided in the wall section 10 which is in a plane above the opening 20. It will be apparent that thus a pull upon the outer end of the strap will not only operate to draw the wall 10 in a direction against the adjacent flange 2 but will also operate to draw said wall downwardly toward the bottom wall of the box. The downward strain will serve to hold the front wall 6 in proper association with the supporting devices 18 at. the front of the bottom section.

The extreme inner end of the straps 19 may be rigidly fixed with the wall sections 10 in any suitable manner, as for instance by means of rivets, or the like, as 22.

If desired, instead of a single strap, a double strap or cord may be employed, as shown in the modification Fig. 10. In this instance the wall section 10 is provided with two separate openings, as 23 and 24, and the adjacent flange 2 is also provided with two separate openings, as 25 and 26. T he cord, as 27, extends inwardly through openings 25 and 23, forms'a loop inside of the wall 10 and continues outwardly through openings 24 and 26 A very simple construction is thus provided 1n which the outer portions of the cord 27 may whenever desired be looped, or tied, together, as indicated by the dotted lines 28, outside of the flange 2, thus completing an efficient bond between the flange 2 and the side wall of the box serving to hold the body of tended condition for sired.

The hinges employed for gether the several parts of the box in fully disas long a period as deconnecting tothe device are preferably of metal and extend continuously throughout the length of the hinged parts. This is particularly important with respect to the joints by which the parts of the intermediate, or body, section G are connected together since at these points the hinges constitute very strong and efficient vertical reinforcing elements greatly increasing the strength of the box in resisting crushing strains which may be applied upon the top of the box. The hinges 11 at the centers of the end walls provide a much needed reinforcement for said walls in resisting strains applied thereto by the straps 19. Note in this particular that the lower ends of said hinges extend quite to the point of attachment of the inner ends of the straps, and that the pulling strains from the straps, insteadof being felt only at one point upon said end walls, is transmitted by said hinges to remote portions of said walls.

The double thickness of wall material provided by the extensions 14 is also important in resisting and distributing these strains.

By making the hinge 17, connecting together the body. and bottom sections, continuous from end to end of the box a uniform distribution of strains applied from one of said sections to the other is given, and at the same time the wall 5 of the body section is held against buckling or warping. The particular design of the hinges may take any desired form but consists preferab-ly of pieces of sheet metal bent into U shape and disposed to straddle the edge portions of the wall material, the pieces connected with two adjacent wall parts being appropriately cut away, as at 29, so that they may intermesh with each other in hinge formation, and so that a pivot rod, as 30, may connect the two pieces together. As a simple means for rigidly connecting these pieces with the wall parts, said pleces preferably have their edge portions provided wlth a plurality of tangs, as 31, projecting laterally therefrom and disposed so that they extend through the wall material, the ends of the tangs being clinched over into and upon the opposite surface of the wall material to prevent detachment, as seen in Fig. 8. The operation of mounting the hinges 1n this HlL11 ner requires no rivets or other separate parts, and may thus be performed very quickly and economically. At the same time the material of the hinges, particularly the extreme edge portions thereof, is made to lie closely against the surface of the wall material. A smoother exterior surface is thus provided than if rivets were employed.

These hinges are of substantially the same design as the hinges shown and described in my pending application Serial No. 451,204, except that in said pending application the rivets are employed as the fastening means.

lVhen the box is in its collapsed condition, as seen in Fig. 1, the straps 19 may be connected together over the top surfaces of the cover section to hold the parts assembled. lVhen the box is distended the straps may extend upwardly along the sides of the end walls and thence be connected over the top surface of the cover to hold the top firmly in covering position.

As seen by Fig. 11, and by the fragmental sectional view appearing in Fig. 7, the ends of the hinge 17 may be rigidly connected with the adjacent corner irons 3, as by means of rivets 32, and with the corner hinges 12, as by means of rivets 33. Also the corner irons 3 referred to, may be cut away, as at 34, to accommodate the adjacent ends of the hinges and yet leave a very strong and substantial portion, as 35, of said irons projecting upwardly for the support and protection of the adjacent portions of the end flanges 2 of the bottom section.

One of the purposes for which this box may be used is that of carrying small dogs, or other animals, and for this purpose it is contemplated that either or all of the walls of the intermediate or body section of the box shall be provided with openings covered with wire gauze or the like, as 36, to the end that a free circulation of air may be had within the box.

lVhile the wall members constructed of any suitable material, yet they preferably are formed of thin sheet card board or fibre board which may be varnished, or otherwise finished, on one, or both, its surfaces so as to produce an attractive appearance.

As many changes could be made in this construction without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings, shall be indescribed may be ,terpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A folding carrier comprising a bottom section in the form of a tray, a collapsible body section pivotally connected to swing into and out of said tray, and a cover section adapted to fit either on to the body section when the body section is distended or on to the bottom section when the body section is folded down, the bottom section having side wall parts over which the cover section is adapted to telescope, and said side wall parts being shaped so that the lower portions thereof stand substantially in the vertical planes of the telescoping portions of the cover section, substantially as set forth.

2. A folding carrier comprising a bottom section in the form of a tray, a collapsible body section pivotally connected to swing into and out of said tray when in its collapsed condition and adapted when in its distended condition to provide walls extending upwardly from the marginal walls of the tray, and a cover section, said marginal walls of the tray being inclined upwardly and inwardly so that the upper edges thereof may lie snugly against the distended walls of the body section.

3. A folding carrier comprising a bottom section, a collapsible body section made up of front, rear and end walls, means pivotally connecting the rear wall with the bottom section, each of said end walls comprising a pair of sections pivotally connected together and to said front and rear walls whereby to enable movement of the front wall toward the rear wall for facilitating collapse, and means carried by one section of each of the end walls adapted to engage the other section respectively operable to retain said end walls in distended condition.

a. A folding carrier comprising a bottom section, a collapsible body section made up of front, rear and end walls, means pivotally connecting the rear wall with the bottom section, each of said end walls comprising a pair of sections pivotally connected together and to said front and rear walls whereby to enable movement of the front wall toward the rear wall for facilitating collapse, one section of each of said. end walls having an extension part continuing therefrom lapping the other section, and retaining means disposed to interenga-ge between said lapping portions for retaining said end walls in distended condition.

5. A folding carrier comprising a bottom section, a collapsible body section made up of front, rear and end walls, means pivotally connecting the rear wall with the bottom section, each of said end walls comprising a pair of sections pivotally connected together and to said front and rear walls whereby to enable movement of the front wall toward the rear wall for facilitating collapse, one section of each of said end walls having an extension part continuing therefrom lapping the other section, and a pair of manually operable latch devices carried one by each of said extension parts operable to latch said extension parts with the adjacent other wall sections respectively.

6. A folding carrier comprising a bottom section, a collapsible body section made up of front, rear and end walls, means pivotally connecting the rear wall with the bottom section, each of said end walls comprising a pair of sections pivotally connected together and to said front and rear walls whereby to enable movement of the front wall toward the rear wall for facilitating collapse, straps, one connected to each of said end walls and extending outwardly through openings formed in the bottom section adapted when drawn outwardly to hold the end wall sections in distended condition, and the points of attachment of the straps with said end walls being in a plane above the openings in the bottom section through which the straps extend for the purpose set forth.

7. A. folding carrier comprising a bottom section, a collapsible body section made up of front, rear and end walls, means pivotally connecting the rear wall with the bottom section, each of said end walls comprising a pair of sections pivotally connected together and to said front and rear Walls whereby to enable movement of the front wall toward the rear wall for facilitating collapse, straps, one connected to each of said end walls and extending outwardly through openings formed in the bottom section. adapted when drawn outwardly to hold the end wall sections in distended condition, said straps being connected with the end walls by being looped through two openings formed in said end walls, and there being two openings in the bottom section for each strap through which the two end portions of the strap extend, substantially as, and for the purpose set forth.

8. A folding carrier comprising a bottom section, a collapsible body section made up of front, rear and end walls, means pivotally connecting the rear wall with the bottom section, each of said end walls comprising a pair of sections pivotally connected together and to said front and rear walls whereby to enable movement of the front wall toward the rear wall for facilitating collapse, straps, one connected to each of said end walls and extending outwardly through openings formed in the bottom section adapted when drawn outwardly to hold the end wall sections in distended condition, and

said intermediate hinges having parts disposed adjacent to the points of attachment of the inner ends of said straps and having other portions continuing therefrom constituting means: to reinforce the end walls in sustaining the pull of said straps.

9. A folding carrier comprising a bottom section, a collapsible body section made up of front, rear and end walls, means pivotally connecting the rear wall with the bottom section, a supporting element carried by the bottom section upon which the front wall of the body is intended to be supported, each end wall of the body comprising a pair of sections pivotally connected together and to the front and rear walls whereby to facilitate collapse of the body, and means extending from the body in a direction downwardly of a character to connect the body with the bottom and to' hold the end wall sections in distended condition and also to draw the body downwardly so as to retain the front wall of the body in engagement with said supporting element.

10. A folding carrier comprising a bottom section in the form of a tray iaving a bottom wall and marginal walls a collapsible body section adapted when in non-collapsed condition to provide walls extending upwardly from and within the marginal walls of the bottom section and when in collapsed condition to be received within the bottom section, and a cover section in the form of an inverted tray having a top wall and marginal walls adapted to telescope on to the body section when the body section is dis- 

